Piedmont Pediatrics

03/13/2026

CDC reports 11 more pediatric deaths as several key flu indicators fall slightly

So far this season, 101 children have died of flu, roughly 85% of whom were unvaccinated.

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/influenza-general/cdc-reports-11-more-pediatric-flu-deaths-several-key-flu-indicators-fall-slightly

03/12/2026

Infants born at

03/12/2026

For decades, parents were told to help children build willpower like a muscle, to resist things like junk food and too much time on their screens. But new research suggests a better strategy.

03/12/2026

Federal officials have announced the recall of products that may be harmful.

03/11/2026

Pediatricians across the country are not doing okay with all that is happening. We are exhausted and our practices are struggling to remain solvent. But we will continue to show up everyday to keep kids healthy and safe. 💙💚

This piece ran in the NYT today about what it's actually like to be a pediatrician right now. A nurse practitioner in Kentucky examines an 11-day-old, and the parents have declined every vaccine. She doesn't push — she says, "If there's any way I can answer your questions, I'm happy to," and leaves the room. It takes a lot to keep that door open in an environment designed to erode trust, and pediatricians are absorbing that cost every single day.

And this is not just about vaccines anymore. The article notes that doubt is now spilling into antibiotics, Tylenol, and even spinal taps (gahhh!). Three infants in Idaho died last year after parents declined vitamin K, a shot given at birth to prevent bleeding.

Our podcast episode also dropped today — we talked with Dr. David Higgins (CO), Dr. Sian Jones-Jobst (NE), and Dr. Sara Goza (GA) about what this moment looks like from inside three very different practices across the country. And if you've ever heard the accusation that pediatricians push vaccines for profit, please listen. Vaccines are actually the second highest cost for a pediatric practice after personnel due to costs of stocking, storing, administering... and reimbursement often barely covers it. Practices have closed over this. We published a full report on vaccine economics that breaks it all down; you can find it at unbiasedscience.org.

I often say that pediatricians are the Mr. Rogers of medicine. They chose the lowest-paid medical specialty because they love kids, they're good at meeting people where they are, and they believe in showing up for families even on the hard days. They didn't sign up for a world where misinformation from the federal government walks into the exam room before they do. I give them all the credit in the world for still showing up 🩷

Article link:
🔗https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/11/health/pediatricians-vaccines-cdc-kennedy.html?unlocked_article_code=1.SVA.VhY7.ByYVuOpG64Gi&smid=url-share

Report on vaccine economics:
https://www.unbiasedscience.org/s/The-Real-Economics-of-Pediatric-Vaccination.pdf

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBjH-1L3mCg
You can also tune in wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify, etc.)

03/10/2026

Worried about states that are removing fluoride from the municipal water supply. This will be a huge step backward and will result in more cavities and the many complications of tooth decay.

Dentists, hygienists, and researchers say a shortage of rural dental care professionals and worsening oral hygiene since the covid-19 pandemic mean more kids are ending up in the emergency room for tooth decay.

03/10/2026

03/10/2026

03/07/2026

Daniel Striped Tiger reminding you to set your clocks ahead one hour tonight as Daylight Saving Time begins.

03/06/2026

Piedmont Pediatrics is honoring Dr. Rob Michel as he enters retirement after 36 years of compassionate and exceptional care for infants, children, adolescents, and their families.

We invite everyone who is lucky enough to know Dr. Michel to leave a message or note of appreciation here or in the box at the front desk of our Charlottesville office.

Dr. Michel’s last day in the office as a Piedmont Pediatrics full time partner and physician is Thursday, March 12th, but he will be coming back in June two days a week until he retires “for good” at the end of October.

Thank you for helping us celebrate Dr. Michel and the lasting impact he has made on so many lives. 💙💚

03/04/2026

Expanding water beads, which are polymer crystals that can expand in liquid to 100 times their size, pose a unique risk to children as they can cause gastrointestinal obstruction, lung damage if aspirated, and other adverse clinical sequalae. There has been an 1820% increase in expanding water bead ingestions between 2018 and 2023. This study in Pediatrics Open Science characterizes patient-level clinical effects following water bead ingestion in a large, nationally representative sample from poison centers. https://bit.ly/40CqegK

03/04/2026

We are so thankful for our Virginia public health leaders, using evidence-based decision making to keep our commonwealth healthy and safe.

The Commonwealth of Virginia has officially joined the Northeast Public Health Collaborative (NEPHC). The NEPHC is a voluntary regional coalition of public health agencies and leaders brought together to share expertise, improve coordination, enhance capacity, strengthen regional readiness, and promote and protect evidence-based public health.

The Collaborative has already formed interjurisdictional working groups to identify opportunities for collaboration and shared planning across multiple public health disciplines. Read more at https://ow.ly/qkL050Ypl9m